Author: Margaret Corona

  • Leaf blowers, Quiet Zone fall off Town Meeting agenda

    The sponsors of two planned May Town Meeting articles that touched on hot-button issues have decided to pull them from consideration with an eye toward bringing them forward at a later date. 

    A group of residents has dropped its plan to pursue a seasonal ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, and the Quiet Zone Working Group has decided to wait until the fall to request construction funds for the long-planned safety upgrades needed to eliminate the mandatory sounding of train horns in town. 

    David Rudolph, who initiated the citizens’ petition on leaf blowers, said his group received too much opposition from landscapers during a Zoom forum on March 5. The proposal would have banned the use of gas-powered leaf blowers from May 15 to Sept. 30, starting in 2026, and applied to commercial landscapers, residents and property managers.

    “There were a lot of [landscapers] saying this is going to destroy their business,” Rudolph said. “They can’t just change everything all at once. It’s going to be much too expensive for them.” 

    The 35-person coalition, most of whom are Needham residents, has instead decided to pivot toward educating the community about the environmental and noise impacts of gas-powered leaf blowers.

    “I had good conversations with several of the landscapers on the forum … and they said they were willing to try electric equipment, so that’s No. 1,” Rudolph said. “Not under any mandate, but just testing it out to see how it goes.”

    The group plans to educate landscapers about alternatives that are quieter and better for the environment, Rudolph said. His suggestions include mulching and composting leaves in flower beds rather than blowing them all off the property, and using gas blowers on a lower-power setting.

    The coalition also hopes to launch a consumer education campaign through the volunteer organization Green Needham, which would work with landscapers experimenting with electric equipment and distribute their names so residents can hire them, Rudolph said.

    The coalition is working with an electric leaf blower seller who may hold a field day in May, where landscapers can test out electric equipment, Rudolph said.

    Speaking of noise reduction …

    The working draft of the Town Meeting warrant contained an article that would have sought $3.5 million “for the purpose of quiet zone construction, including all costs incidental or related thereto.”

    However, the Quiet Zone Working Group had difficulty engaging a consulting engineering firm to lead the effort of assessing the cost of installing the required supplemental safety measures at the town’s five at-grade crossings (Oak Street, Great Plain Avenue, May Street, Rosemary Street, and West Street) that would meet the standards required to establish a Quiet Zone for Needham.

    This delayed the start of the group’s work and left it with an incomplete plan, despite having held multiple meetings with the MBTA and other stakeholders. The group made a final attempt at its March 26 meeting to settle on a cost estimate. The six members and its engineering consultants from Tighe & Bond discussed options that indicated the cost could range from $3.5 million to $5 million, but came to the conclusion that there were still too many unanswered questions to produce a reliable number.

    “We simply couldn’t go before FinCom without a final number,” said Marianne Cooley, the Select Board’s appointee to the working group, which voted unanimously to pull the article.

    Both Cooley and Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick, who is also a member of the group, expressed some optimism that the delay until Fall Town Meeting will not necessarily slow the project, assuming Town Meeting approves the eventual funding request.

    “We have the bonding capacity if that’s what the town wants to do,” Fitzpatrick said at the meeting. “It’s not a matter of having to find the money.”

    Cooley explained that the QZWG can continue its work and can use funds approved at Annual Town Meeting in 2024 to complete the design work pretty much on schedule while also producing a more reliable cost estimate.

    Cooley hopes to be able to bring a fully baked warrant article to Special Town Meeting in October.

    “Design will be done this summer,” she said prior to the April 1 Select Board meeting. “That will inform a cost estimate and we’ll be ready to go to Town Meeting in the fall.”

    This story is part of a partnership between the Needham Observer and the Boston University Department of Journalism. Peter O’Neil also contributed to this report.

  • Needham Open Studios celebrates 25 years

    Naomi Wilsey’s home studio (L) and Hilary Hanson Bruel’s home studio (R)/ Credit: Needham Observer

    The Needham Open Studios art exhibit celebrates its 25th anniversary May 3 and 4 across several locations in town, inviting the public to the vibrant arts community right in their own neighborhoods.

    Run entirely by volunteer artists, the non-juried exhibition connects more than 35 creators to the Needham community, providing an opportunity to see artists’ creative processes in intimate spaces. Visitors can explore 11 locations, including three group spaces, featuring works across various media including painting, ceramics and performing arts.

    Hilary Hanson Bruel, an NOS organizing committee member who creates abstract mixed media and encaustic paintings using heated wax, said she appreciates how the event connects the Needham community to local art.

    Hilary Hanson Bruel with her work Evening Sun Credit: Hilary Hanson Bruel

    “It’s a really nice opportunity to be out in the community with the work, as opposed to sitting alone in your studio,” Bruel said. “I really love it because all the people I see in my non-art life can come and see this art that I do, even though they know me in a different way.”

    Throughout the weekend, visitors can watch demonstrations and participate in hands-on activities, while connecting with the artists, learning about their techniques and taking home original art.

    Naomi Wilsey, a NOS board and organizing committee member who has worked as an artist for more than 30 years, will host hands-on art projects including making flower art on rice paper. Wilsey said it is important to make art accessible to the community. 

    “Of course, it’s not bread and butter. It’s not feeding people,” Wilsey said. “But it feeds your soul, you know? And I think for that reason, it’s important.”

    This year’s exhibit features new elements. Previously limited to artists who lived or worked in Needham or belonged to the Needham Art Association, NOS now welcomes artists from outside the community as long as they can find somewhere to exhibit, Wilsey said. 

    Naomi Wilsey and her watercolor Respite/ Credit: Naomi Wilsey

    Additionally, poetry stations will be at nine of the locations thanks to the Needham Poet Laureate Program, hosted by NOS President and Needham Poet Laureate Anne Nydam.

    The North Hill location will showcase an intergenerational exhibit featuring works from North Hill Retirement Community residents and Needham High School students. Cheryl Clinton, who is organizing the gallery spaces at North Hill, is excited about the generational inclusivity.

    “We have a very vibrant community, and I often think public perception of a 65-plus senior living community is not accurate,” Clinton said. “Many of our residents overall are extremely connected and active in the community, and the arts in particular, it’s a really strong focus. So it’s exciting to have that on view for the public.”

    The grassroots event relies entirely on participating artists taking roles in organizing the weekend, including posting signs on lawns and distributing map brochures.

    John Corliss, a Needham resident who has attended NOS the past six seasons, said he looks forward to the event every year.

    “It’s one of the first things we put in our calendar,” Corliss said. “Needham Open Studios is a great thing, and hopefully it continues, because Needham is such a great community. It’s wonderful that it’s around.”

    The free exhibit runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 3 and 4. The official brochure, including NOS artists and their locations, can be accessed here. 

    This story is part of a partnership between the Needham Observer and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Needham residents brave the elements for Election Day

    Candidates and their supporters shrugged off fierce winds Tuesday to campaign on Election Day in Needham, political signs gripped in gloved hands as voters entered polling stations across town.

    In the early afternoon, school committee candidate Leanne Ratti and a few of her supporters stood at the corner of West Street and Hillside Avenue, next to the Center at the Heights polling location.

    As a special education, elementary and English as a Second Language teacher of 16 years for the Boston Public Schools, Ratti said she is passionate about equitable education for the Needham community.

    “I think this is a great opportunity to get to know everyone in the community,” Ratti said. “Hearing from parents and residents, talking about their concerns, answering questions, learning, listening, you really feel in touch with your community.”

    Melissa Rotman and Carolyn Kenline, two of Ratti’s supporters, said they helped her campaign because she’ll advocate for their children.

    “I’m really excited about the potential of having a teacher on the School Committee and a mom of three kids,” Kenline said.

    Across the street stood two supporters of Sri Baqri, another School Committee candidate. Her husband, Rehan Baqri, said Sri is passionate about the schools and wanted to get involved. They have two daughters in the system.

    He was flanked by Syed Rizvi, a supporter of Baqri who said proper representation on the School Committee is important, especially someone who has kids, knows the system and is invested in the schools. 

    Down the road, at the top of the driveway leading to the polling station at the Rosemary Recreation Complex, stood a group of campaigners with signs for a variety of candidates.. 

    Jeanne McKnight, a Town Meeting member running for reelection, held two signs: one for herself and the other for Select Board incumbent Heidi Frail. 

    McKnight, who has represented Precinct F as a Town Meeting Member for 22 years, said municipal work has been her life. She began as an urban planner in Framingham for six years, went to law school and worked as a municipal attorney for 25 years. McKnight stepped down from the Planning Board last year.

    McKnight described Frail as a hard-working member of the Select Board — one who is “very respectful of others on the committee.” “The hardest job in our town, as far as being a volunteer, is to be on the Select Board,” McKnight said. 

    Next to McKnight stood David Wertheim, who was running for Town Meeting in Precinct G. Wertheim grew up in Needham and moved back 13 years ago. A finance professional who served on the Finance Committee in Ashland, Wertheim said he was inspired to return to civic engagement after the divisive town vote in January that repealed the Town Meeting decision to comply with the MBTA Communities Law, which requires municipalities served by the MBTA to create a zoning district conducive to multifamily housing.

    “There seemed to be a lot of misinformation that was going around,” Wertheim said. “I’m hoping that with a financial background, I can bring some more to the table and hopefully some more honest conversation.”

    A few feet from Wertheim, Abigail “Abby” Carr, a public relations professional, was also running for Town Meeting in Precinct G. She said the “horrific nature” of politics in Washington inspired her to turn to local government. Carr has lived in Needham for 10 years, and her three children went through the Needham school system.

    “If you can’t win at the national level, then you can make soup and plant flowers and help housing and other issues in your local community,” Carr said.

    She described the divisiveness of the Needham housing issue as “disturbing.” “I think it’s really important that we have people on Town Meeting who respect facts and are willing to dive deep into the issues and not face decisions by whipping up other people’s fear,” Carr said.

    This story is part of a partnership between the Needham Observer and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Needham residents brave the elements for Election Day

    Voters cast ballots Tuesday at the Needham Golf Club/ Credit: Needham Observer

    Candidates and their supporters shrugged off fierce winds Tuesday to campaign on Election Day in Needham, political signs gripped in gloved hands as voters entered polling stations across town.

    In the early afternoon, school committee candidate Leanne Ratti and a few of her supporters stood at the corner of West Street and Hillside Avenue, next to the Center at the Heights polling location.

    As a special education, elementary and English as a Second Language teacher of 16 years for the Boston Public Schools, Ratti said she is passionate about equitable education for the Needham community.

    “I think this is a great opportunity to get to know everyone in the community,” Ratti said. “Hearing from parents and residents, talking about their concerns, answering questions, learning, listening, you really feel in touch with your community.”

    Melissa Rotman and Carolyn Kenline, two of Ratti’s supporters, said they helped her campaign because she’ll advocate for their children.

    “I’m really excited about the potential of having a teacher on the School Committee and a mom of three kids,” Kenline said.

    Across the street stood two supporters of Sri Baqri, another School Committee candidate. Her husband, Rehan Baqri, said Sri is passionate about the schools and wanted to get involved. They have two daughters in the system.

    He was flanked by Syed Rizvi, a supporter of Baqri who said proper representation on the School Committee is important, especially someone who has kids, knows the system and is invested in the schools. 

    Down the road, at the top of the driveway leading to the polling station at the Rosemary Recreation Complex, stood a group of campaigners with signs for a variety of candidates.. 

    Jeanne McKnight, a Town Meeting member running for reelection, held two signs: one for herself and the other for Select Board incumbent Heidi Frail. 

    McKnight, who has represented Precinct F as a Town Meeting Member for 22 years, said municipal work has been her life. She began as an urban planner in Framingham for six years, went to law school and worked as a municipal attorney for 25 years. McKnight stepped down from the Planning Board last year.

    McKnight described Frail as a hard-working member of the Select Board — one who is “very respectful of others on the committee.” “The hardest job in our town, as far as being a volunteer, is to be on the Select Board,” McKnight said. 

    Next to McKnight stood David Wertheim, who was running for Town Meeting in Precinct G. Wertheim grew up in Needham and moved back 13 years ago. A finance professional who served on the Finance Committee in Ashland, Wertheim said he was inspired to return to civic engagement after the divisive town vote in January that repealed the Town Meeting decision to comply with the MBTA Communities Law, which requires municipalities served by the MBTA to create a zoning district conducive to multifamily housing.

    “There seemed to be a lot of misinformation that was going around,” Wertheim said. “I’m hoping that with a financial background, I can bring some more to the table and hopefully some more honest conversation.”

    A few feet from Wertheim, Abigail “Abby” Carr, a public relations professional, was also running for Town Meeting in Precinct G. She said the “horrific nature” of politics in Washington inspired her to turn to local government. Carr has lived in Needham for 10 years, and her three children went through the Needham school system.

    “If you can’t win at the national level, then you can make soup and plant flowers and help housing and other issues in your local community,” Carr said.

    She described the divisiveness of the Needham housing issue as “disturbing.” “I think it’s really important that we have people on Town Meeting who respect facts and are willing to dive deep into the issues and not face decisions by whipping up other people’s fear,” Carr said.

    This story is part of a partnership between the Needham Observer and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Amplifying access: Plugged In’s Dirty Water Music Festival returns

    The Dirty Water Music Festival is back for its second annual community building event on April 5 at Powers Hall. 

    The festival is hosted by Plugged In, the Needham-based music education nonprofit that teaches musicians of all abilities in Massachusetts and worldwide.

    Dan Croft, associate director of Plugged In, said he looks forward to a night of music and camaraderie. “This event is really just like a concert: a fun night for people to come out and just hear good music, dance and relax,” Croft said. Last year’s festival drew about 200 attendees. 

    This year’s lineup includes the return of rock-and-roll cover band Monkeys with Crayons and blues-rock band Mass Bluesbreakers from last year’s festival, in addition to the band Bored of Directors, composed of former Plugged In board members, and the quintet Off Label, which features four medical doctors. 

    Tony Callini, Plugged In board president and Off Label drummer, said he is eager to expand his band’s reach by playing the festival.

    “We’re excited … to do something that’s really mission oriented for us, especially with my bandmates in the medical industry, where their whole lives are mission driven,” Callini said. “It can connect what we’re doing as a band with a mission, and doing it for a really great purpose.”

    Jerry McIntyre, drummer with Monkeys with Crayons, said he looks forward to getting people up and dancing.

    “That’s the fun part about it for me is playing on the stage, getting people going,” McIntyre said. “It’s for a good cause. So we definitely enjoy it.” 

    The concert raises funds for Plugged In’s scholarship and inclusion fund, which last year provided more than $70,000 in scholarships — nearly half of which was raised at last year’s festival — and no student has been turned away because of an inability to pay in the organization’s 23-year history, Croft said. 

    “All of those funds make sure our students with disabilities have the equitable access and same opportunities to thrive and succeed at Plugged In,” he said.

    The fund also provides accommodations that ensure equal access for musicians with disabilities, who make up 53% of Plugged In’s spring session students, including hearing protection, light sensitivity sunglasses, Braille-stickered keyboards and color-coded guitar strings.

    But true inclusion goes beyond just access, said Croft.

    “When we say inclusive, we mean that there is no specific band or specific workshop that is only for students with disabilities,” he said. “They are included in all of our bands, performances and workshops and everything that we do, and in a completely equal way with all of our neurotypical or non-disabled students.”

    Femi Wasserman, a board member and parent of two Plugged In musicians, said her sons flourished through the program. One found his passion as a drummer and now plays in his school’s jazz band, while the other gained such confidence as a vocalist that he is auditioning for school plays.

    “I love how welcoming they are — they meet you where you are,” Wasserman said of Plugged In’s approach. “Everyone in the entire community is very invested in the success and the culture of the program, and so I think that welcoming aspect means that nobody ever feels out of place, and I personally think that everybody feels valued.”

    Currently serving about 140 students on-site and another 180 through Peace Tracks — an international virtual exchange program for high school students — Plugged In creates an environment where students develop not just musical skills but also compassion, confidence and social awareness, said Sandra Rizkallah, the nonprofit’s executive director and co-founder.

    “When you give them the opportunity in an environment where that’s celebrated and supported, they access that part of themselves,” Rizkallah said. “It just becomes a little part of their DNA, and as they go out into the world, they have that little connection to that part inside of them.”Fundraising for the Dirty Water festival comes primarily through corporate-sponsored bands that pay a fee to perform, with the proceeds supporting Plugged In’s scholarship and inclusion fund. Bands created through the Plugged In program perform at every end-of-session concert as well as local community performances, Croft said.
    The festival runs from 6-10 p.m. in Powers Hall and is for those 21 and over. Tickets are $10, available online. Admission is free for those who need it.

  • Pure Prairie League is ‘Back on Track’ and headed to Needham

    Country-rock band Pure Prairie League is headed to Needham this weekend, marking the first headlining act of 2025 of the Needham Bank Great Hall Concert Series.

    The band, best known for their 1975 hit “Amie,” will take the James Hugh Powers Hall stage Saturday for the second stop of their tour. Their new album, “Back on Track,” is the band’s first in almost two decades.

    Michael Greis, co-president of the Great Hall Performance Foundation, said he is thrilled PPL will visit Needham this weekend. 

    “They are such an iconic band,” Greis said. “Performers who have a passion for music and have kept at it for as long as bands like Pure Prairie League really care about what they do, and connect with the audience in a way that’s so important for us. That’s one of the things we find most compelling and enjoyable.”

    The band features pedal steel guitarist and founding member John David Call, drummer/vocalist Scott Thompson, keyboardist/vocalist Randy Harper, guitarist/vocalist Jeffrey Zona, and bassist/vocalist Jared Camic.

    Veteran bassist and bandleader Michael Reilly, who transitioned from a full-time touring band member to manager and producer after COVID, describes the new album as the band’s best work since their 1975 record, “Two Lane Highway.”

    “This record is like we’re paying respect and tribute to the earlier albums, but it’s definitely taking several steps forward,” Reilly said. “The musicianship is just killer, you know? I mean, we’ve got killer guys in the band, and they just knocked it out of the park.”

    A blend of country, rock and blues influences, “Back on Track” pays homage to the band’s 50-plus-year history while exploring new territories. The album includes five songs written by Zona, three by Camic and four from former longtime bandmate Gary Burr, plus covers of Little Feat’s “Six Feet of Snow” and Leslie Duncan’s “Love Song,” which was recorded by Elton John in 1971.

    Reilly attributes the fun, easygoing recording process to the positive dynamic among the bandmates. “This band has always been a band of brothers,” Reilly said. “We’ve never thrown a punch in this band in 55 years. We have discussions, but we don’t have fights.” 

    Though Reilly won’t be in attendance Saturday, he’s thrilled the bandmates get to return to the Boston area.

    “After all these years, it’s a thrill for us to come back to some of these places that we’ve played before,” Reilly said. “Because we’re playing these theaters and smaller places like Needham Town Hall, it’s like playing in somebody’s living room. Because we’re right there in their laps, we can see the reactions to these songs. And they’re singing along. They know all the words.”

    Reilly said the band will come out for autographs and pictures after the show. 

    Greis said he is looking forward to another season of music, including the Orion Ensemble on May 3. 

    The Pure Prairie League concert starts at 8 p.m. Saturday in Powers Hall, on the second floor of the Needham Town Hall. Tickets are $63, available online or at 781-355-6076. 

    This story is part of a partnership between the Needham Observer and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Needham High’s ‘Mamma Mia!’ brings ABBA hits to Newman

    Needham High School drama students will “take a chance” this weekend, bringing ABBA’s greatest hits to the stage for its production of “Mamma Mia!”

    The musical, a long-running hit on Broadway, follows 20-year-old bride-to-be Sophie, who is determined to have her father walk her down the aisle. But there’s one problem — Sophie doesn’t know who he is. Her mother’s old diary reveals three candidates, all of whom she invites to her Greek island wedding. The wedding countdown brings a wave of unexpected reunions between former lovers and longtime friends, all set to songs by the 1970s Swedish pop band.

    Needham High’s Fine and Performing Arts Department is reviving “Mamma Mia!” for the first time since its October 2019 production, said Kristen Mazzocchi, the show’s director. She said “Mamma Mia!” feels like a good contrast with last year’s more serious production, “Les Misérables.” 

    “They’re both demanding, just in a little bit of different ways, so I liked that it was a big change from the last show,” Mazzocchi said.

    “Mamma Mia!” features a cast of 62 students, complemented by two student musicians in the pit and about 20 students on the technical crew. The cast has been rehearsing every weekday since returning from winter break, Mazzocchi said.

    Senior Max Scott, who plays Bill Austin, one of Sophie’s potential fathers, said he values the time spent having fun during rehearsals.

    “There’s so much opportunity to add your own spin to the songs [and] have fun dances,” Scott said. “I think that rehearsals have been way more fun than they’ve ever been, with such a super uplifting, heartwarming musical.”

    LeeAnn Sutton, the department’s program director, said she’s looking forward to attending the show and “seeing it in its glory.”

    “When we’re thinking about a production like ‘Mamma Mia!’ it really takes a village,” Sutton said. “Students have to utilize teamwork, creativity, problem-solving and a fair bit of flexibility toward putting together such a large production.”

    The performance includes 22 ABBA hits, such as “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” “Take a Chance on Me” and “The Winner Takes It All.” Having a lot of students in the ensemble this year allowed for impressive, large-scale dance numbers, Mazzocchi said.

    “I think the thing about ABBA is you can’t not have fun with the music,” Mazzocchi said. “Even the students, who are obviously much younger than the generation of ABBA, love it. They love the music.” 

    Senior Mary Scott Dunn, who plays Sophie, can’t wait to see audience members of all ages enjoy the show and an iconic soundtrack.

    “I’m really looking forward to seeing all generations enjoy the show, because the music is so widespread,” Dunn said. “I think that ‘Mamma Mia!’ is just bringing together all generations and communities at one place.”

    Sutton said she is excited by the outpouring of support from the Needham community. “I love seeing the community buzz. It is really special to be part of a community that supports its performing arts in this way.”

    Mazzocchi said she is looking forward to watching the students showcase their hard work.

    “Once we get to the point where the show is ready to go and they perform it, I don’t do anything. I just watch,” Mazzocchi said. “It’s fun to see them make it happen and work together as a team, do all their various jobs and come together and help each other out. That’s always rewarding for me to see them do their thing.”

    Performances will take place Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Newman Elementary School Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults and can be purchased online. 

    This story is part of a partnership between the Needham Observer and the Boston University Department of Journalism.